Husband's last camping trip

Monday, November 25, 2013

Well, well, so I've come here to blog. I had to take a break from it all. The nonsense, same ole' same ole', and, the Alzheimer's. Sometime, it's just too much for me.

We had a very rough week last week. Husband had hallucinations day and night. Did I mention the anger? He became angry with everything. I, for once, didn't think I would make it through. It was rough.

Sitting in the shower the other morning, he seemed to calm down while water was running on him. I chose that time to get his clean clothes ready. I heard a bam, ran into the bathroom and there he was, sitting sideways, falling out of the shower with his shower seat falling with him. After helping him back up, I asked him what happened? He spoke, in broken words, saying he didn't know what had happened, but, it was my fault because I left him alone. Of course.

I'm so over all of this.

Since Friday, he has gotten through this angry stage and it has been much more pleasant. Not great, but, pleasant.

I am not in the mood for all this Thanksgiving stuff. Thanks to Alzheimer's. I bought a turkey. Nothing else. Just a turkey that is now completely thawed in my fridge. No apples for pies, no bread for stuffing, no nothing. When is Thanksgiving? Oh yes, this Thursday? Great.

I am supposed to get festive for the Holidays, remember? Someone, please remind me of that.

Husband is waking up. He didn't sleep well. Coughed all night. It's his bath day. Have to make sure the house is warm for him. Lay his clothes out, before he gets in the shower.

Friday, November 15, 2013

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I last posted. Time seems to be getting the best of me lately.

Husband has slipped, but, not too bad. He seems to be OK with all that he has lost. It's probably because he doesn't even realize what's going on anymore.

His sleeping has been good, with few interruptions during the night. Hallucinations are a daily thing now. I have learned to just go with it. They still bother me, but, for him, I can't show it.

I bought a scale a few weeks ago and now weigh husband once a week. He is losing weight. When I weighed him last Sunday, he was down another 1/2 pound. It's hard for me to not weigh him more frequently, but, Dr said only once a week. We go back to the Dr on the 2nd of December for a weight check.

The weather here is turning pretty cold. I've had more fires in the fireplace, sometimes during the day. I am glad we moved here. There, I said it. Even though the real reason was for husband, it's so much better here.

I am still playing with the idea of completing the book I began over a year ago. Blogging, for me, used to help me, mentally. While it still does, with husband having mere months left here on earth, I come here and find myself repeating the same thing.

Being that this will be husband's last Christmas, it will be a Christmas to remember. I plan on decorating, getting a tree, playing Christmas music, lights up around my patio, the works. I am planning on taking pictures daily once the decorations are up. Of husband. I want to look back on this special time and think I did the right thing. For husband.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Not too much happening here. It's another "holding pattern". Waiting, just waiting.

Husband seems to hallucinate a lot lately. It comes and goes. Take for instance, the other day.

I had to run an errand and decided to take husband and the dog with me. Husband doesn't get out much, it's just too hard on him and me. But, this day, I did.

I left husband and the dog in the car, was gone for about 10 minutes. When I got back to the car and opened the door, husband was waving his hands and said, "Be careful, don't let the dog out. I just saw a pack of dogs run by and I don't want them getting our dog."

There were no pack of dogs. We were in the middle of the city.

He doesn't like to go in the bathroom when he first wakes up. Says he doesn't like to pee in front of other people. Argued with me yesterday, after telling him where to go to the bathroom. He told me, when I pointed out where the toilet was and how to lift up the seat, that that was disgusting and how dare I even suggest him using that thing to pee in.

Was twisting the door knob on the hall closet the other night. I asked him what he was doing. Said he was trying to turn on the bathroom light.

I'll be in the living room with the dog on my lap. He will stroke the bed and talk to the dog in the bedroom. Almost every night he thinks the dog is with him, when, in fact, he is on my lap in a different room.

I could go on and on.

I've noticed the tremors are more present now. Legs and arms. When I see it, I turn my head. I don't like looking at him when he has these tremors. It's not pretty.

Time to wake husband up. It's bath and shave day. When I do this, I never know what to expect. We can go anywhere.

My life. I'm still here, still trying to find something to laugh about each day. Most days, I can. Other days? Uh, not so much.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Here we go again. Sorry for the lack in posts. It's just that lately, days seem to melt into one another, and, I find myself coming here to post, with the same ole' subject. Alzheimer's.

Leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Husband is holding steady. No drastic decline. He wakes up in a confused state. Does not know where he is, who he is, or, who I am. He will go to the bathroom by himself, but, I have to tell him where the toilet is. He can no longer distinguish the difference between the sink, bathtub or toilet.

I look in on him and he is sitting there with a look that says, "Where am I?" Once he is done, I clean him up, (if it's not bath day) and guide him back to the bedroom where I dress him.

He will come to the dining room table and I have to tell him to sit and I fix his breakfast. While he eats, he is still in a stupor. He does not speak, at all. He eats, making a mess. He takes his meds, and, I guide him to this chair in the living room where he will stare at everything, not knowing what anything is. I turn on the TV, making a distraction for him.

He will doze off and on the entire morning. I do breakfast dishes, make beds, straighten up around the apartment. Take the trash out, if needed, take the dog for his potty runs, all the while, checking on husband.

By noon or so, he seems to be more aware of his surroundings and will attempt to make conversation with me. Trying to remember words is hard on him and the spinning of his hands will begin.

Dinnertime rolls around and he eats a good dinner. He will go to his bed after dinner. I turn on his lamp and his TV. By 7 PM, it's time for more meds. He takes that and I get him undressed and under the covers. By 8-9 PM, he is very sleepy and I have to get the last pill to him. Once he takes that pill (I have to give one pill and wait at least an hour for the other pill) he is usually out within 15 minutes.

It is then that I come to my chair and am left alone with my thoughts. I run through the day. Was it a good day? Did he eat well? Did I do well with him today? I also take stock in what he has lost, if anything. I make a mental note of his tremors. Did they appear to be more or less today? How many times did he wet his pants? My, he looks thin today. Did he lose more weight today?

Just another day in my life. A day with Alzheimer's. A day where nothing really happens, but, everything changes.

About Me

Please join me as I care for my husband who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness called
Early Onset Familial Alzheimer's Disease. A very rare form of Alzheimer's, inherited on his Mothers' side of the family. All other family members died by age 47. My husband is 46. Join me won't you, as I travel this road that will leave me a Widow. Laugh with me, cry with me.